Mass Effect: Ghosts
by Mrwendel
Summary: twenty years have passed since the final battle on Earth, the Galaxy was saved but at more than just the cost of lives of the dead but the ghosts that perpetually haunt the living.
1. Page 1, chapter 1

And sometimes when I close my eyes...I see her standing there, and if I close them long enough I can hear her whisper my name. I think i'm going a little crazy but if this is crazy, I'm not sure sane is any better.

"Garrus."

"Hmm?"

"Garrus Vakarian, please leave the premisis." A robotic voice ordered.

"Really?" sitting up, Garrus rolled his eyes as he slinked off a bar stool, stumbling at first then regained his balance as he realized he was still waking up. In another bar, for the second night in a row.

"Please exit the-" The second drone asked before being interupted by the old Turian.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand as he walked by dismissing the drone.

So, another dead-end planet and another currupt city that forgot to rise up after the reapers left. I came here looking to get away but, somehow my past always catches up with me. And somehow I always manage to piss the wrong person or thing off.

"Garrus Vakarian, I ask again please-" A loud clunk noise came from Garrus's fist as it connected with the security mechs dome.

The other mech tazed him, Garrus felt all his muscles tense up at once then he fell to the ground feeling like he was about to faint the turian rested his head on the grimy floor and passed out.

"I like Jay, I've always wanted a little Jay."

She intertwined her fingers with his as they laid in her bed.

"Yeah? What about a Sylas? It's a family name." Garrus offered her.

She cracked up, snickering in his face as she fell into his chest laughing.

"I'd love to give a child the name of a disney villian." Sarcasstic as ever she shook her head at the thought.

"Sylas isn't a villian, he's my grandfather." He trailed off on the last part.

She placed her hand apologetically on his cheek. "Oh, I'm sorry. But still no."

"Garrus Vakarian."

He mumbled as he sat up from his pleasent dream. "I never want to hear my name again."

"Too bad," The gaurd jeered. "Lunch time inmate." Garrus knew he was screwed the minute he punched out the mech, after running his DNA they were able to match it with the Vigilantes blood that was left at a crime scene. But that's what happens when you get drunk instead of your job.

Ok I know what you're thinking, how could _I_ have left DNA evidence at a crine scene well...

A batarian weapons dealer with the street name "Fang" was doing a huge deal that night. Garrus saw multiple points of entry, useing his skill and expertise he was able to enter through the roof of the abandoned mill. He droped down on a gaurd stabbing his back with his turian steal serrated knife as he landed on him. Then pulled out his M-11 surpresed pistol and began to clear out the rest of the upper level.

On his way down he saw two gaurds walking away from him in a hallway, he crept up as quietly as a turian could with his knife in his left hand he jumped them both, grabbing the rights head and jerking it to the side and then ran the blade accross the lefts neck as Garrus let them both fall to the floor. Continuosly walking he turned a corner without checking first and ran into a human gaurd (amature hour Vakarian, Archangle would have checked his corners) He kicked the human in his groin then, forcing his hand against his neck and lifting him high with his turian strengh he choke slammed him against the floor, finishing him off with a swift thud of his heal on his enemies forehead.

Lastly Garrus shot the man patroling the balconey. Taking his place Garrus used his sniper rilfe to scope out the deal as it happened. Fang was selling to a off world buyer who unbeknown to Garrus, had a prosthetic eye capable of night-vision and spotting a hulking turian body in the middle of the dark. He was shot and hit from the ground his blood dropping to the floor. And that was that, the police kept the unidentified DNA in their data base until they found a match last night.

A little rookie-ish I know but just know that it was my first op in five years and that was fifteen years ago. My skills have been re honed to an even finer edge. I tracked those assholes down two weeks later and I can tell you which Gods they're with now.

Walking through the dextro line line Garrus reciveived his food and sat down far away from the other inmates. Although word that the vigilante that had been keeping Pride-City safe and crime free for the past fifteen years was only a few feet away, found the temtation a little to irrisitable. A tatto covered human and turian with dark green face paint sat down next to Garrus, the other inmates looked on as they spoke to him.

"So...you're him? The Shepard?"

Garrus knocked the turian in the middle of the right mandible, causing a shock of intense pain throughout his face. Grabbing the humans index finger he broke it then stood up to slam his head against the table. Bending over Garrus growled in his ear.

"Never...Never, say that name in my presence, get me?"

"I-ow, I got you, I got you!"

"Good." Garrus gave the humans jugular vein a quick and decisive chop with his thumb knuckle portruding.

Well it seemed that angered his friends because now Garrus was surounded by four more human-turian friends. He didn't speak, the vigilante just picked up his cup and sipped his water silently. He left out a satisfying "ah" when he finished it, he glanced to his right and then his left before throwing the cup at the closest man to him Garrus kicked the teeth out of the turian in the group. He grabbed a human fist breaking her fingers as he clenched it.

He knocked her down before attending to cup-guy who he picked up, swinging him above his head Garrus slammed him ontop of the table. He turned around with a furious look in his eye, all of a sudden he froze up as he felt fifty thousand volts of electricity course through his body.

"Again? Fuuu-"

He was woken up inside an interrogation room with his hands cuffed to the table. He jolted up looking around and then relaxing soon after figuring out he was still in prison. Garrus yawned as he leaned down to scratch his face with his talons. The room was annoyingly dark, he couldn't see a thing aside from the two-way mirror infront of him.

"Holy hell." The voice came from behind him.

Holy hell is right miss Lawson, it may be dark but I know that voice anywhere.

"Miranda." With a hint of loathing and a deadpan expression, Garrus addressed his former friend as she walked infront of the light and sat down across from him seting down a mini-projector.

"How've you been Garrus?"

"Small talk? Fuck you, what do you want?"

She leaned on the table looking him in the eye. "That hurts Garrus, I thought we were-"

"You don't come see me for twenty years...now all of a sudden you expect me to act like we know each other? Truth is we never did, but I like to think that we at least understood each other well enough...so, what do you want?"

She tucked in her upper lip before sitting up straight and activating the projector. All of their former squad memebers appeared before his eyes.

 **Kaiden Alenko,** **Status:Deceased**

 **Mordin Solus,** **Status: Deceased**

 **Thane Krios,** **Status: Deceased**

 **Zaeed Massani,** **Status: Deceased**

 **Liara T'soni,** **Status: Alive**

 **Katsumi Goto,** **Status: Deceased**

 **Jennifer Monroe,** **Alias: Jack,** **Status: Alive**

 **Jacob Taylor,** **Status: Deceased**

 **Urdnot Grunt, S** **tatus: Deceased**

"I get the point Miranda...we're the lucky ones." He put lucky in air quotes waiting for Miranda to reach her point.

She slid a file over accross the table touching his claws Garrus flipped it open seeing all the records with the Label "Deceased" written on them. The regular crew on the Normandy survived, Jacobs death was news to him though, last that Garrus had heard he had a wife and kid back on Earth. White picket fence and all that...

"When did Jacob die?"

"You mean when was Jacob murdered?" Eyebrows raised Miranda leaned back in her chair.

"Bullshit."

"And Tali-"

"You leave Tali out of this." Garrus could barely look at Miranda,

She sat back quietly waiting for permission to speak again. Garrus was weighing his options, what was true and what wasn't. He wasn't sure what to believe, that the most inoccent lives ever to serve on the Normandy were now gone? Or that someone was hunting them. He had to think he had to close his eyes and-

"Garrus."

"Mol?"

"Garrus!" She lept off the paltform sliding down to catch him as he reached out for her hand Garrus was relieved that hers was holding onto him as his body dangled off the platform, She pulled him up with all her strength and they took a moment before the other platform came crashing onto them. Picking up Thane and Helping Garrus get the debris off, he followed her out of the base with seeker swarms at their heels they all jumped for the Normandy, he remebered reaching out for her this time. Without fail he pulled her up onto the ship and they flew away to safety.

When the airlock shut Garrus was still holding her, he looked down into her dark green eyes as she smiled, moving a little closer when the ship hit the omega four relay they were forced to the opposite wall, their armor clacking as Shepard was pinned by Garrus' hulking armor. She started laughing as Garrus apologized she she wrapped her fingers around the inside of his chest plate and pulled him closer.

"Come'ere." She said as the turian soon felt her soft human lips against his dry, flat, beak of a mouth.

"Did you fall alseep?" Miranda shook her head as Garrus opened his eyes.

"Look if you don't believe me then-"

"I didn't say I don't believe you. I said, Bullshit."

Confused, Miranda rolled her eyes in frustration as the detective went through the case files for his murdered squad mates. Their had to be a pattern, had to be a way to figure out who was next, or if their was a pattern at all.

"It says here that Samara died last week. How could anyone have killed her?"

Giving a deadpan answer Miranda shrugged "She was one thousand and five Garrus."

"Donelly, Daniels, Gardener, Thorne- these are all people that served on the Normandy when it was flying Cerberus colors...It looks like everyone is dead except for Jack, tali and-"

"You." She pointed at him from across the table.

"And me."

Miranda watched him intently as Garrus just stared at her. She noticed something different aside from the ageing, his face, he had different markings. There were red streaks down his face making his look even more menecing under the dim lighting of the room.

"New look?"

"Why are you here anyway? To tell me someone's picking us off, How the hell do I know it isn't you?"

She chuckled sarcasticly in response. "I need your help, Look I get it, she's dead just-"

"What!? Just what!? You think I haven't tried to get over it, this is the only way I know how to cope." He looked away from Miranda, then with a grudging look he turned to her.

"You love this don't you, is that why you're really here? I knew mirsey loved company but this is a strech. I hope you told your sister that you loved her before your father put a bullet in her."

Miranda shrugged off the outburst and opened the flies one more time and slid a picture over to was Jacobs murder scene, he didn't deserve this being killed in his own home like an animal, his twenty one year-old daughter was dead too. And Brynn, who ever did this had a real grudge against him or the Normandy crew in general.

"Do you think we'll be targeted?" Garrus asked.

"I know we will, the others were murdered too, they're figuring it out now only because we're finally tallying the non-reaper war deaths."

"I assume you went to Earh...searched the crime scene." More relaxed he tried to sit back when the cuffs attached to the chair stopped him.

"I made the funeral..." She skipped the rest of her answer giving Garrus a more purposefull look.

"I made contact with Liara, we're going to Thessia."

Looking around the dark room Garrus sighed realizing that his best choice was miss Miranda Lawson. He looked past her and at the mirror, his ice blue eyes had grown dim in the years but his eyesight hadden't changed. He chuckled as he shook his head, never thinking that he'd ever be saved by her again.

"Yeah I guess we are."

Armali, Thessia

"I hope you both know that as soon as Nissa and the kids get back I'd like it if the grim talk stopped." Liara said as she poored them both a drink.

"Of course Liara, we wont be long." Miranda said understanding her position.

Garrus was sitting at the counter in Liaras kitchen while Miranda was standing on the other side of the counter along with Liara. He liked the house, big, lots of room for kids, home-y would be the word Garrus would use but then again he was never one for words. Liara was the luckiest of them all, she got out with a life, Miranda didn't sleep much and neither did Garrus. Jacob had a family too, they didn't deserve what happened to them and Miranda was going to make sure he did not go unavenged.

"My contacts in the human police force have told me this looked like a hit. Is this even possible? I know we racked up quite the body count in our day but could someone hold a grudge this long?" The asari asked as she sipped a small glass of wine.

"You never know, I've been pissing people off for a long time." Garrus joked.

Smiling Liara turned to him. "Then this should be a cake walk for a professional agitator like yourself...The new look is nice but I think you look better in blue."

That put a smirk on the old turians face as he drank his dextro juice. Liara was always a kind presence, but it was Garrus and Mirandas suspision that she was next is what was most disheartening for him. Why would people be killing us now, he thought. The wars over and Mol's dead, who in their right minds would want to kill us? And as far as the face paint went, he just didn't want to be a bare-face and he thought that changing it could help when he ever caught his reflection.

Setting her glass down Miranda calmly addressed Liara with her idea so as not to...alarm her.

"Liara, I'd like it if me and Garrus could spend the night. We fear that you're next."

Snorting Garrus looked up from his drink, "We? This guy's goong after Cerberus and associates not Liara."

Narrowing her eyes Miranda then ignored the comment to plead her case. "Look, whoever did this obviously has it out for the crew that served on the Normandy during it's time with Cerberus and...I'm just making sure they aren't after you too is all."

"That's very kind of you Miranda, but I don't think that nessary I mean a lot of Cerberus got blown up during the war if you remember correctly. And as unfortunate as it is I know for a fact Ken Donelly killed himself after Gabby's accident. I was at the funeral." She was sympathetic as always, looking at Miranda as she sipped her drink.

Miranda watched Liaras eyes closely checking pupil dialation she watched as Liaras left eye dialated ever so slightly. Shaking her head Lawson set her drink down looking to Garrus then back to Liara.

"How old are you?" Liara asked out of the blue.

"Fifty-one, my birthday was last month." Miranda responded truthfully.

Which caused even Garrus to raise his brow, she didn't look a day over twenty-nine (which was her age when they first met) Miranda could be dying her hair but her skin looked firm and healthy like a younger human, not to mention her figure hadn't changed a bit. Benefits of being genetically engineered.

"You look great." Liara said setting her glass down on the counter.

"Thank you, but really you must tell me your secret miss one hundred and twenty-nine."

That caused Liara to chuckle, when her laughter died down Miranda had to ask one more time,

"Are you sure you're not worried, it was murder." Miranda warrned.

"No, I'm fine thank you." Just then the front door opened.

"Mom we're home!" A little blue asari pattered around Garrus and Miranda and gave her mother a hug as Liara bent down to recive her.

"Uh...friends of yours?" Another asari this time an older one more like a young adult walked into the kitchen followed by their father an asari named Nissa who walked past them to give her bond mate a kiss on the cheek before addressing the guests.

"Garrus right?"

He nodded as Nissa reached out her hand. "I'm Nissa, so glad to finally meet you Liara has told me so much...I thought he wore blue." She wisperd to Liara as she picked up the youngest asari. "And this is Raenia. Say hi to mommys friends." She had Raenia sitting on her hip as she was introduced Mirianda smiled and waved at the child who couldn't take her eyes off the frightening Vakarian.

"Mom, mom." The young adult continued to grab her mother attention.

"What?" Liara Sighed.

"Can I go to Sebastions later?"

Liara rolled her eyes as she reluctantly agreed with a nod of her head. "Molly we have company, at least say hello."

"Hello company...can I go now?"

Garrus looked up at the mention of her name and turned to see the asari standing infront of him, she had a pout on her face as she waited to hear her mothers response. Liara saw the look on his face and almost regreted calling her daughter by her name.

"Hey, before you run off, be back no later nine, understand?"

"Yes mom."

"Nine."

"I'll be back before then."

Liaras daughter walked out of the kitchen, soon Garrus heard her go upstairs.

Nissa Took Raenia up to her room leaving the three in silence. Miranda couldn't help herself, she had to talk about Raenia, she loved children even though most saw her as cold hearted Miranda knew it was better to hide behind the facade of being a loner who didn't need anyone than give yourself away.

"Raenia is so adorable."

"She is, her sisters a pain in the ass sometimes but what nineteen year old isn't?" Liaras smile fadded away as she looked at the stairs down the hall with a lingering gaze she swallowed before speaking.

"I'd like it if you two stayed the night...with Garrus on the first watch."

Miranda raised an eyebrow as she looked to Garrus then back to Liara with a nod. The asari once again picked up her glass of wine and sipped it.

"Sometimes you need to be remineded what's at stake." She rubbed the back of her neck as Miranda nodded in agreement.

"You two can stay in the guest room if you want, we have plenty of room." Liaras warm voice and her welcoming demeanor never seemed to waver. Garrus wondered how she did it, kept it all bundled up inside when had everything to loose. He already gambled on a loved ones life once and he wouldn't do it again.

"Thank you Liara, we appreciate your hospitality." Miranada downed her drink, after she set her glass on the counter leaning back she let out a quick breath, "Bugger that's good wine."

Later that night both Garrus and Miranda shared a watch since neither of them wanted to sleep, Miranda was watching the downstairs occationally moving through the halls while Garrus sat on the back porch, rather exposed. It had been three hours since the family had gone to bed and Miranda was starting to feel tired as she sat down in the living room afte having looked over the T'soni family pictures more than a few times.

"Garrus...I'm bored."

Nothing, no respose. "Garrus?"

Miranda waited a few seconds more before she began to walk over to the window leading to the back porch, before she reached the window she heard a few grunts over the radio channel.

"Hmwha? Miranda...you say something?" He moaned.

"Were you sleeping?" She asked.

"N-yes."

"At least you're honest." She said walking through the kitchen. "Do you remember-"

"No." He said bluntly.

"Sorry, just trying to stay awake is all."

Garrus could feel her manicured brow furrowing from inside the house however he didn't care, the last thing Garrus needed to talk about was the past. Nothing but good memories turned bad even when things were looking up (hopeful more like) at the final battle on Earth certainly had a way of bringing him down.

"You think Liara would mind if I drank her coffee? Nah." The former Cerberus operative began filling the pot as she let out a jaw streching yawn.

"I know we didn't always get along but...I'd like to think we would be friends if I wasn't with Cerberus...acquaintances at least." She was babbling to keep herself awake and Garrus knew it, so he kept quiet. Resting his forefinger and thumb across his brow he leaned his turian head against his arm.

"I'm sorry." He spit out.

"What-"

"About Oriana, before we left pride city. You didn't diserve that." He swallowed hard as he stood up to stretch his legs. Garrus began to walk down the porch steps and do a perimeter sweep.

"Thank you Garrus. That means a lot." She sounded sincere over the com channel. He never knew with Miranda, cold was her middle name and Lawson might as well have been synonymous with guile. But he knew that when it came to her sister miss Lawson never lied.

"I guess we could talk about something." He added.

"Like the time you got you hand stuck in the main battery ventalation shaft and we had to have Tali get you out?"

"How did you...bugged my room?"

"Yep."

"Spirits, you're a paranoid bitch." He smirked almost got a chuckle out but he stopped himself.

He heard a small gasp before Miranda spoke "Garrus Vakarian, I. Am not. A bitch."

"You're right you're more like that Earth word...Pretentious, I like that one."

Shaking her head as she heard coffee dribble into the pot. "Alright I get it...so I rub people the wrong way sometimes, you do that a lot you know."

"Me?" In disbelief Garrus shook his head when a few rustling leaves caugth his ear, seeing that it was nothing he continued with his perimeter walk.

"Yes you, in fact you have a stick so far up your ass it makes mine look small."

He actually had to hold it in for that one to be honest, they both really did have a way of making people angry, Molly even disliked him when they first met. All they did was argue it wasn't until she recruited him to fight the collectors when they showed an intrest in each other.

"Well at least I make the stick look good." Garrus jeered as he smirked to himself.

"Please you and I both know I'm-" She stopped dead mid sentence.

He pressed his earpeice a few times checking to see if something was wrong. "Miranda? Lawson come in."

"Shh. Garrus, someone's in the house." Her voice was quiet as Miranda began to check the halls, she had heard on more than one occasion a few sets of footsteps within the large house while she wasn't sure where, Miranda did know that she wasn't alone and it wasn't Raenia getting up to go to the bathroom for the hundredth time.

"What? Miranda I'm coming inside."

"No...just be alert. Double check the perimeter." She barked while still keeping her voice down.

"Mira-"

"That's an Order Garrus."

He heard the channel die out after she "ordered" him, she certainly did not lack bravery nor skill. She could almost match a krogan with her physical strength and even best the most talented asari biotics. He drew his pistol and quickened his pace as he scanned for heat and possible drones.

Miranda had her gun trained forward down the hall as she trended carefully down the hardwood floor. She picked up a few hushed voices coming from down he garage, she placed her hand firmly on the door pannel and waited until they got closer to the door. Miranda used her omni-tool to turn off the lights, she then manually slid open the door gun raised she felt something push against the barrel in the dark room.

"Whoa!" A males voice, human by tone coupled with and asari shriek of fright.

Lawson waved her omni-tool in the dark turning the lights back on in the garage only to see Molly standing infront of her with a human boy holding her left hand.

"Flase alarm Vakarian, just teenagers." She said holstering her gun.

She turned to the boy then back at Molly. "You go home and you...go to bed." Realizing they had little choice both youths parted ways with Molly embarrassingly retreating to her room. Miranda watched as the asari quietly walked up the stairs and then poked her head back down.

"Do we have to tell mom?" She said, almost pleading.

After some consideration Miranda shook her head, "No." and the young asari went back upstairs.

"That was nice of you." Garrus commented.

"Told you I wasn't all bad." She smiled as she went back to the kitchen to grab her coffee.

Garrus had resumed sitting on the porch in the backyard after his second perimeter check and checked the time, it was late and the sun was coming up. As the turian leaned back in his chair. He felt almost relaxed as the breeze kicked in, blowing against his mandibles as they fluttered.

Miranda heard floor boards yawn as someone walked down the stairs, when she looked through the doorway of the living room she saw a small shadow hobble towards the kitchen followed by a high pitched grunt as Miranda stepped into the kitchen she saw little Raenia trying to reach the cupboard about the counter by climbing onto a chair.

Does no one sleep in this house? Miranda thought as she watched the small asari from the doorway grab a glass then fill ot with water from the sink. She was startled when She found Miranda leaning on the doorway.

"Um...Hi." She said awkwardly looking at the tall woman infront of her.

"It's alright, I won't tell." Miranda smirked.

"Oh, whew. So you won't mind if I watch VS right?" She said hopefully.

Miranda checked her omni-tool for time and then looked back at the asari child.

"You have one hour, then you really should be off to bed."

Raenia walked past Mirandas long legs, setting her drink down befor climbing onto the couch and turning on the vid screen.

"Aren't you mother of the year."

"Fuck off-oop," Miranda looked to see if Raenia had heard her.

Garrus thought for a moment, out of all the crew members from the Normandy left alive (which wasn't many) he was surprised that Miranda even after her sisters death never settled down.

"Miranda, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What is it Garrus?" She said curiously.

"Well, why are you doing this? I get it with Jacob and wanting to solve his murder but..."

"But what? It seems you've figured it out. unless of course that's not what you're actually asking."

"No partner-Is that what they call it? Anyway Just wondering, you seem pretty good with Raenia and you're easy on the eyes-"

"I don't want to talk about it. But thank you."

"I understand, wait thank you for what?" He asked.

"The complement."

Garrus didn't say anything after that, soon Miranda contacted him again but she spoke in a hushed tone.

"Garrus...do you see anyone back there?"

The sensors in his visor aswell as his sight detected nothing, not even a random woodland creature runnignthrough the garden.

"No...why, what's wrong?"

"There's a man standing in the front lawn looking at me."

Garrus' eyes widened as he stood up the turian hurried through the back door and kitchen and found Miranda standing in the middle of the living room looking outside. Raenia was captured by Garrus' presence as he strode into the room looking out the window with Miranda.

"Should I go out there and see what he wants."

"That's a stupid idea." Miranda said narrowing her eyes in his direction.

"Well then...please explain what we should do." He sounded a little irritated as Miranda formulated a plan in her head.

Although she did not get enough time to do so as her omni-tool chirped, accepting the call she answered after seeing the light of an omni-tool on the mans arm outside.

"Hello, who are you?" She asked.

"Shh...Burn." The voice was concealed but Garrus could still tell it was a throaty deep voice, and clearly a human male.

Miranda froze up as she spoke, "What?"

"I'd get out of the house if I were you, especially within the next ten seconds." Her omni-tool shut down as the call was ended, Garrus looked at her then at Raenia.

"We need to get out of here, now!" Garrus said as he grabbed Raenia, carrying her as he shouted throughout the house, he headed for the front door as did Miranda who was ahead of him up the stairs.

"I'll get Raenia out of here, I'll be back when she's safe!"

"Got it!" Miranda was Halfway up the stairs when he left.

Liara! everyone we have to get out n-" She fell to the ground as the explosion shook the entire house, causing the stairs to become splinters that peppered the right side of Mirandas body. Flames licked the walls around her and stuck to her sleave as she stood up and tore it from her shirt, feeling the house shake with each step as she came to Mollys room first, thankfully she was unharmed, they met Liara and Nissa in the hall way.

"Molly!" Nissa called out as Both Miranda and Mollys parents created biotic fields to block the debris and flames.

They ran to where the stairs were and hopped down, using biotics to slow their decent Miranda who had held up a larger field for the four of them, was stopped when a large chunk of the house fell on the biotic field, she jerked her head to the exit.

"Go!"

"You're crazy! We won't leave-" Liara was cut off.

"Just fucking go, you can make it!"

Liara nodded as she put up her own field and led her family out, with Miranda who was close behind when a second explosion destroyed her field and launched her out of the building, she felt a thud on the back of her head.

"Miranda..."

She was pointing a gun at her father who also had Oriana at gun point.

"You son of a bitch, I swear you will not leave here alive." Miranda seethed at her father.

Which is when she tried to toss a chair at his with her biotics however her just shot at her, she returned fire and ducked behind cover. Thats when she arrived, comander Shepard along with Garrus and Kaiden who immediately pointed their weapons at her father.

"Shepard!" Miranda called out.

"Ah, commander Shepard. Just in time, now if you'll excuse me I was just about to leave." Henry Lawson had his gun against his daughters head as he backed up against the window.

"Not with Oriana, Shepard please." Miranda pleaded.

"Ah-ah," Mr. Lawson warned.

"You're surrounded Henry, just give us Oriana and put the gun down. Alright?" Shepard said as she stepped closer to him, her pistol pointed at his head.

He looked back at the window and saw a husk clinging to the glass, he saw no possible way where things went the way he wanted them to, Shepards deal was the best he was going to get.

"No deal." He snarled, as he pushed Oriana forward into Shepard and pulled the trigger, again and again until Garrus quickly gave him the double tap while Miranda with all the energy she could muster threw him out the window with the husks falling after him.

Miranda caught her sisters eyes as she went limp in Shepards arms, whispering her name.

"Miranda..."

"Miranda."

"I never want to hear my name again." She moaned as her eyes fluttered open to Garrus standing above her.

It was hard to tell with turians but she could sed his lips working into a smirk as she tried to sit up. Garrus quickly set his hands on her shoulders gently pushing her down.

"Don't get up, you were hurt pretty bad, turns out the bomb was some specail human bomb called phosphorus."

Her eyes widened, "Mirrior, now." She was panicking, thinking what her face looked like, it could have very well melted under the heat of the phosphorus in the few minutes she was exposed to it.

"Don't worry, the doctors fixed you up real good Miranda. Just a few scars that should heal up a little."

She glared at him furiously, "Mirror. Now." She demanded. Garrus sighed as he looked around the room for a mirror he could give her when he turned back to Miranda he saw she was already looking as herself through a near by spoon, pulling her long brown hair back and checking her face for burn mark.

Garrus had found an actual mirror sitting on a table and handed it to her. When Miranda got anbetter look at herself she was more or upset, or rather her line of think was "it could be worse" She had a burn scar on her lower right jaw that trailed down to her back. She felt her stomach and check her arms making sure they were alright as well, when she felt the bandages on her stomach Miranda let out a soft sigh as her hands rested to her sides.

"Don't worry Miranda, we'll get this guy, you and me." Garrus pulled up a chair and sat closer to her bed.

"You think he murdered Jacob and his family? Along with all the others?" She asked, not looking at him.

"Probably, sicko like that...I contacted the shadow broker, and they said they were looking into it. And that they're spies are at our disposal."

It offered little comfort to the scarred Lawson as she looked out the nearby window as the sun came through the room.

"Why did you stay behind?" Garrus asked.

"You know why."

"I've already tried that, you thought that going out for a cause might have been easier...it's not, Miranda going out is never easy. Especially for fighters like us." He rested his hand on her arm hoping to break through to her, she brought him in on this conspiracy and Garrus was going to make sure she saw it through.

She turned back to him with a more optimistic look. "I can't conceive a child."

"What?"

"It's why I never settled down, I can't have children."

The turians blue eyes trailed off as he was thinking about how the only good things that ever happened to former Normandy crew these days was waking up in the morning. And even that seemed like a challenge for most.

"I'm sorry Miranda, you disserve better."

She nodded her head, "So do you."

After a moment of silence Garrus stood up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"The little turians room, haven't gone since yesterday." He smirked.

"Well hurry up I've something to tell you whenyou get back."

Shaking her head Miranda leaned back into the hospital bed as he left the room. Garrus walked down the crowded and colored a very monotonous gray, hospital hallway seeing doctors and nurses walked about with their patients or he saw a few families here to visit their loved ones. He bumped into a doctor on his way into the restroom.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

His voice was familiar yet Garrus could quite place it. When he looked back still standing in the doorway was a very familiar face of a man Garrus knew to be dead.

"Garrus."

Before he could say anything Garrus felt a sharp pain in as a needle was shoved into his

thick turian neck he quickly clutched it as he felt a chill rush down his spine, his legs almost gave out from under him when the doctor propped him against his shoulder.

"You don't look so good," the doctor said with a smile as he helped Garrus into a nearby bench. "Good thing I found you."

"Kaiden, why?!" Garrus was shocked that his old friend was still alive yet not so much his friend anymore.

"I'm not about to explain myself to a dead man Garrus, I gave you a toxin tailored to turians."

"Fuck you." Garrus was clutching his neck.

"Funny, you already did that once." Garrus got a better look at Kaiden's face now, he had a horrible burn mark on his left cheek that tugged at his lips and eye, slightly pulling them back.

"I thought you were dead damnit-"

"Shh, shh...it's all in the past ol'buddy. Just like you are now, and just like your cerberus friend is about to be hey, you know what? I think I'll see Tali after this. I'll tell her you said hi."

Kaiden stood up and walked toward Mirandas room, mustering all his strength Garrus stood up with a grunt as he forced his numb legs to walk down the hallway, he could see Kaiden reaching Mirandas room. Garrus tried to quiken his pace when he fell to the ground, he could still feel his arms even thoguh his vision was blurred and fading fast, he could hear people asking if he was alright and other doctors helped him up to his feet.

Garrus pushed them aside and with all his energy he ran down the hall, he grabbed the door frame to Mirandas room and hauled himself inside, Miranda was gone. When he turned around he saw two asaris doctors who tried to get him to leave the room when he felt dizzy again and this time was knocked out cold when he fell.

"Garrus?"


	2. Page 2, Chapter 1

Garrus was in the hangar by the mako as usual, he was there because he never quite felt welcome by the other crew enough to roam the ship freely aside from eating and sleeping. Much like the other aliens except they seemed to have found friends aboard, Wrex was always cleaning his weapons and armor, only now with company as gunnery chief Williams would often join him now after she finished her daily duties hell, every once in a while they even had a word or two to share. Garrus would join in and would be welcomed to join but he could only spend so much time cleaning his rifle, even taking up mako repairs which is what he was doing now, only he'd finished the check up and everything was nominal. He reluctantly gave it one final once over with his omni-tool scanning the hull-as Wrex would scrub the heat sink in his shotgun-he could hear the elevator rumble as it brought itself down. He had been going over the previous mission in his head where Shepard had decided to let a smooth-talking space pirate go and he was none to happy about it. The woman had led them on a wild ithri chase across the traverse only to find the woman had been using them to take out her competition. It infuriated Garrus, granted he admired the tenacity however it royally pissed him off when Shepard made a deal and left them alone. And this was an opinion he had voiced, calling the pirates scum who needed to be put down. Shepard responded in kind telling him that's not how she does things, that there is more to solving the galaxies problems than bullets.

"You mean like doing your job?" Garrus replied.

"Watch your tone on my ship." And like that the good turian stormed off.

That's when he heard the elevator doors open followed by a quick "Shepard." from Wrex as Garrus let out a sigh as heard Shepard speak with Wrex, Garrus finished his scans seeing everything was in check he turned around to see Shepard approaching. He tensed up, ready for another carfully placed "raised voice" match. Garrus would never shout at a commanding officer, and would never question a superior officer either however he'd been giving her hell since she was a human. He admitted to himself that he was a little prejudice in the beginning however as the past month had rolled on he had gained respect for his fellow crew mates, especially Ashley even if she hated turians the chief would fit right in on a turian cruiser. She even seemed to have warmed up to the idea of serving with aliens. Shepard didn't seem to hold much hate in her heart except of course when it came to batarians Shepard seemed to shoot pretty well. That being said, she was...compassionate where he would shoot first she would rather talk, when Garrus would pass judgment she would empathize, he'd never call her weak as Garrus had seen her in action and the commander was a fine soldier in every sense of the word, Garrus couldn't deny that, Lately she had been standing out to him where as before Garrus had figured that all humans looked the same. He found himself watching her golden blonde hair bounce when she walked away from him, the glint in her dull green eyes that made all humans seem so soft compared to the rest of the species...aside from asari.

"Garrus."

"Commander." He stiffened up as she address him.

"I understand that...we don't quite get along." She kept a soldiers stance, as a turian he saw her as an authority figure through more than her rank, her actions and stature often elevated her in Garrus' eyes as she stood before him and not to mention how often her decisions turned out better than his. He would at times never understand her, but she never yielded to anyone and that is a quality any species could respect.

"Commander if I may..."Garrus began, choosing his words carefully.

"Go ahead." She seemed to tense up however he didn't know enough about human body language to know if she was angry or anxious.

"In the turian military we're expected to follow orders no matter what, I think I've done that for you." She nodded in agreement, she seemed to be stifling a response however she was kind enough to not say anything.

"I understand that at times I may express...um - disagreement with some of them."

He caught a raised brow from her and he quickly changed his tune.

" _A lot_ of them, but it's not because I disrespect you, or don't hold you in high regard. I actually think you're one of the finest officers I've ever surved under. I just don't get you humans is all...I'll try to do better in understanding your people."

Watching her eyes trail his face she nodded, loosening up in her stance Shepard even smiled as she spoke.

"Thank you Garrus, that means a lot coming from a turian, even more from you."

They weren't sure what to say now but Garrus figured she'd leave after that but she was still standing there, he remembered this was the first time he found her attractive. Maybe because it's the first time she smiled at him in particular and he thought maybe she did too - in her own way. He recalled how uncomfortable it made him feel and how Ashley saw him stare at her as she left the hangar.

"Garrus?"

 _Fuck...come on..._

"Garrus!"

He sighed as he once again was woken from a pleasant dream, waking up in a hospital bed next to Miranda who was sitting by him reading a magazine while she waited. She looked almost amused as she called his name once again only to see his ocean blue eyes open to see her looking at him.

"Miranda!" He shot up as everything started coming back to him. Remembering Kaiden in the hallway...Kaiden? Garrus thought as he slowly looked around the room trying to process what had happened. It was Kaiden, no question Garrus knew that face and voice anywhere. He thought he died on Earth when harbingers laser hit him Garrus had to bring him back to the Normandy since he still carried a pulse, He hated himself for leaving Molly on the battlefield alone, It's when Garrus realized he'd never see her again.

"It was Kaiden..." Garrus said his breathing was a little heavy as he spoke which was part of the after effects of the toxin.

"What?" Miranda raised an eye brow as she leaned closer to him from her seat, Garrus looked over to see her sitting in a chair by his bed. her new scar still fresh as a patch of now malformed skin tainted a light red trailed from her lower jaw down her right side he knew what she had tried to do at the time, only now she had to live with the consequences of a poorly planned suicide.

"Kaiden poisoned me, said he was going after you so I tried to chase after him."

"Kaiden? But he-"

"You think I don't know?!"

Garrus shot back, seeing the look of frustration on Miranda's face he took a quick breath as he began to get out of the hospital bed when he realized he was naked underneath the blanket and quickly pulled it back covering himself.

"Did he say anything to you?" Miranda asked, ignoring his minor mistake and tone as she instead kept the subject to more pressing matters than a wardrobe malfunction.

"Something about Tali...then again he could have been trying to fake me out like he did with you."

Miranda nodded along as her brain went to work, she thought of anything and everything she had learned about Kaiden when she was reaserching him for the collector mission, of course he never joined but she still looked into the possibility. What she had learned was that he was rather shrewd when dealing with people he didn't know well, his military record was impressive multiple combat missions the former alliance major was even quite the biotic. Almost as good Miranda but his L2 implant held him back in more ways than one.

"Was he on Earth with you?" Miranda asked, not quite knowing the location of the Normandy crew during the battle of Earth since she was more focused on running from cerberus and saving her sister at the time...which later proved futile when presented with Orianas fate.

"Yeah we had to charge the sky hook that connected earth and the citidel. Harbinger broke off from orbit and came down to stop us and when he did."

Garrus swallowed hard as he thought of that day he worked so hard to forget. Then again he never did, his time in Pride city back on Terra Nova as the Vigilante never really made him forget either but every once in a while he'd be chasing down a thief or taking fire from on coming bullets and in those moments he'd take a breath and forget.

"The beem hit Kaiden nearly head on burning one side of his body, M...Shepard called the Normandy down to extract the wounded, the push had so many people that Harbinger was focused on them instead of the Normandy and I carried Kaiden on board-"

" _I'm not leaving you!" He growled._ _"You don't have a choice."_

 _"I have to do this...Please don't make it any harder than it already is."_

 _Her green eyes sparkled with tears, that's what he remembered, dirt covered her blonde hair and scarred face, her armor had more claw marks and deep scratches than he'd ever seen this was it, they all knew it._

 _"I love you." He said._

 _"Good,"_ _She kissed him for the last time._

 _"Because this would be really awkward if you didn't." She gave him the most sorrow-filled smile he had ever seen, goodbye would have been to much but she had to say something before leaping off the ramp and running to her fate. Sh_ _e had mimicked his words to her after their first night together, when she told him she had a "good time" He recalled her laugh, quiet and oddly soft Shepard had rarely laughed hard an odd thing to remember but he did. Watching her leave that last time was one of the hardest things Garrus had ever had to watch, he had lost her once before but this time felt more real, because it was._

"We called time of death an hour later." Garrus sighed, placing his hands in his lap Garrus turned to see the Thessian sun rise above the land, touching Thessias unique floral landscape with its slim trees that reached up to the sky. Not to mention all the lakes that dot the entire planet along with large bodies of water.

"What did you do with the body?"

"We lost it."

Miranda couldn't form thoughts into words fast enough as her mouth hung open for a second as she finally spoke.

"H...how?"

Garrus let out another sigh as he was once again forced to confront the past, he thought of the white blast that came after the crucible brought down the reapers. It damaged their drive core sending them to a jungle on a planet in the outer Veil.

"We had to bury him on the planet we crashed on after the crucible launched-"

"That's right, the Normandy was missing for a whole month." Miranda recalled as she continued to slowly pace the length of the room, Garrus' ocean blue eyes following her as she did so.

"I remember watching you guys leave the Normandy from a vid screen...there were cameras everywhere. The Alliance had already recovered Shepards body but...you didn't know."

Garrus looked down at his lap as he sat up in the bed he closed his eyes for a moment, as he could just push the feelings back he felt a hand on his. Opening his eyes Garrus saw Miranda standing next to him holding his hand. He gently brushed her off as he continued on with the conversation ignoring her previous statement.

"We uh, had to shed a lot of weight to get the Normandy to move, we lost two engines and the old girl wouldn't budge, even when we got Edi back online. We detached the main battery...I was livid to say the least..."

Miranda stifled a smile as the idea of Garrus' precious main battery was forced to leave the ship. He almost never left that room and when she was briefly on the Normandy during its final tour of duty she remembered that he was still in there, although he did come out to see how she was doing after they left Horizon.

"Then it came time to shed the shuttle, the hammerhead, all of our extra cargo, gone, gone and gone it even got to the point where we had to loose the beds, with both engines out I finally realized how big a ship the Normandy actually was. Because we barely had enough power to get us out of orbit and even then we drifted for a week, fortunately we kept all the food...but not Kaiden."

He spotted his armor resting across the room, a turian very rarely was outside his armor, the only reason they ever weren't was when they choose to either leave Palaven for good or a different career than CSEC or the military, which again is rare but it happens. Garrus definitely considered himself a traditional turian in the sense that he almost never took off his armor. Miranda looked over to where he was staring and walked over to his armor, picking it up she set it on the bed.

"Can you walk?" She asked.

"Yeah, thanks."

She turned around and waited as Garrus got dressed, now as a turian Garrus to this day finds his armor the most comfortable clothing he's ever worn. It's the best, he always said, it'll even stop bullets - most of them. But Miranda was walking around in denim and a leather Jacket, Shepard would do the same when she was off duty only her jacket bore an N7 logo and Mirandas was just brown with a high collar that could button together, it was form fitting as well, along with her dark blue jeans and light brown boots that came up under her knee.

"How do you think he got off the planet?"

"Who else has a grudge against Cerberus? You can turn around now." Garrus said buckling his body suit that went under his armor as he slipped on his boots first, normally they go on last but when it came to armor one should start from the bottom and work up.

"Well, that's not exactly a trick question. They were officially labeled a terrorist organization during the war." Miranda couldn't believe she had fallen for the Illusive man's tricks...there was a time when she would have died for Cerberus - almost did too.

"I know, we can research on our way to the citidel-"

"I thought Kaiden said he was going after Tali, why not plot a course for the Veil?" Curiously Miranda kept her arms folded as she shifted her weight to her left hip.

"Miranda..." He could tell there was something she was missing but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"She's the quarian ambassador." He shook his head, chuckling as Miranda stood in front of him feeling a bit foolish, it was only all over the news as the quarians regained their embassy. Garrus remembered Talis speech at the citidel, it actually got him out of his two room apartment. He was in the crowd listening to her say how much of an honor this was, he also remembered how odd it was to see her without a helmet on. Many quarians wore their suits for cultural reasons, her hair was wrapped in that purple shawl she always wore and looked beautiful in it as well. Who knew the quarians were attractive, aside from the asari and Krogan who were alive to remember them before the war. But now that it was common place one could find a quarian actor in almost every vid.

"Really?" Miranda straightened up a bit, Looks like Tali made out pretty well she thought.

"Will we need to schedule an appointment?"

"Nah I can just walk in whenever, remember who you're talking to." He said clipping his gauntlets on as the last piece of armor was his gloves, which he stood up to place on his hands.

"Do we need to check out?" Garrus asked.

"Liara took care of both our bills, we should stop by and thank her."

Garrus let out a low growl, it's not that he wasn't appreciative but he wanted to get this show on the road.

"Garrus."

Miranda took her "Cerberus operative" tone with him, it was awful she used to use it _all_ the time. Garrus once told her to "Keep her fucking comments to herself" And that was the clean version.

"Fine."

He ran his hand down his face, he stood up and walked over to the restroom, ignoring Miranda when she asked where he was going. He took a look in the mirror watching his blue cat-like eyes stare back at him, he looked at the three red lines down his face, one in the middle that covered his nose and mouth as both on the right and left ended on his madibles, his left one was malformed from when he was shot in the face by a rocket. Some days he genuinely wondered how he survived. This almost worked, changing his face he often forgot what he even looked like but then he stared into his own eyes and the scar and everything would come back to him. Shaking his head Garrus then did what he wanted to do dropping his pants and sitting on the toilet.

Miranda waited patiently outside, sifting through cerberus files she came across a familiar name she hadn't heard in a long time. Agent Rasa, AKA Maya Brooks a woman with a talent for espionage and keeping a low profile a top candidate for Cerberus, it would make sense that she'd be on the revenge path and in fact was nearly two decades ago when she appeared with Shepards clone...Miranda shuddered at the thought as it brought back memories of her time with cerberus, she was still and maybe always will pay for the things she had done when under their banner.

"Ready?" She heard Garrus from behind, causing her to loose her breath momentarily.

"Yeah," She said turning around, she may not have looked shaken up on the outside as Miranda was always good at concealing her emotions.

"Alright, let's hit the road."

They took a taxi back to Liaras, it would be a two hour drive unfortunately and Garrus knowing that the nearest spaceport was only thirty minutes away did his best to stifle his frustration. In the end just hoped they had some dextro food. He watched other sky cars fly by as he turned to Miranda who had been nose deep in her omni - tool the entire ride ignoring the Armali country side, it was almost like a desert only it carried beautiful trees and flora indigenous of course to the region. The cab driver then took a quick right Garrus may not have been a native but he knew the way to Liaras place, he drove them to the hospital the night before.

"Over here is the Reaper war memorial, those are cherry blossom trees from Earth." She said as they slowly passed the stone memorial, it was a large almost purple stone surrounded by many others (to put it mildly) Considering almost half the population of every species and in some cases the entire populations took a nose dive, that being said apparently child care around the galaxy is at its cheapest...a small comfort. Garrus had never seen cherry blossoms before and had only been on earth once and well, it wasn't a vacation. He watched the peddles float through the air as they came towards the ground the wind picked them up and tossed them back into the air.

"Why earth trees?" Garrus asked, then realizing the answer seconds later before the asari cab driver spoke.

"Commander Shepard of course, goddess...who knew that humans would be the ones to save the galaxy - no offense!" She quickly corrected as she caught Mirandas gaze through the real view mirror.

"None taken." She responded curtly.

Garrus was already sick of looking at them, anything that reminded him of the war made his stomach feel empty like it was pressing up against his lungs giving him a shortness of breath. So far he had been killing bad guys to keep the shakes away only now there were none in sight.

"We didn't sign up for the tour, mind moving along." He raised his brow at the driver who quickly speak past the large memorial.

"Thanks." He sneered as he spoke, madibles twitching at an irregular rate, Miranda watched from his right side as the scarred one on his left was barely visible from the angle. She recognized it as a sign of anxiety in turians. Most can't help it, like yawning for humans the turians almost have no control whenever they feel a certain way, and while it wasn't all turians it certainly was the one in front of her. Swallowing hard Miranda hesitantly reached out to Garrus who then caught her eyes, he looked down at her hand that was reaching for his shoulder plate and shook his head.

"Thanks." He grunted as the old turian pressed his head against the glass window and closed his eyes.

Miranda awkwardly retracted her hand again catching the drivers eyes. She then recalled a time when she needed a shoulder to cry on, only she never cried in front of anyone almost ever now that she thought of it. She remembered sitting in the Normandys lounge on the portside, the room that she recalled Samara used to occupy only this time it was Kaiden. He left her alone as she curled up on the couch that look out to the stars, she had never felt more alone before in her entire life. She always was...alone, recalling the time they had all gone to afterlife on Omega as a "last horah" before they hit the Omega 4 relay. Aria gave them all VIP passes and they spent the entire night in the night club. She remembered sitting at the bar the entire night with Grunt and Samara who weren't really the club types, although once the bartender pulled out the ryncol Grunt quickly became the "club type". Miranda had figure no one had ever seen a krogan dance like that before...it was like a gift to the galaxy, the video was still on the extranet.

Miranda saw an asari approach the bar, she looked her up and down as Miranda quietly sipped her dark beer. Glancing at the staring asari Miranda sighed, turning to her she gave her a raised eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" She asked half heartedly.

"Sure, I've got this knot in my back...maybe you could help me work it-" She was quickly cut off as Miranda backed away with her torso.

"Ew, no...I mean...no thank you." She replied resting herself back at the bar.

"Pff, humans." She took her drinks and walked back with her friends.

"I think that one was the worst so far...I'm dissapointed in my species." Samara said in her calm drone.

"Sorry if I seemed grossed out I'm just-"

"Everyone has a type Miranda you don't have to apologize to me, I've turned down my fair share of humans." She shrugged.

Miranda felt a presence behind her, ready to walk out of the club she turned around to see Shepard and Garrus at the bar looking at her.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

Miranda darted her eyes, "Drinking?"

"Not dancing?" Garrus raised his brow, it was odd seeming him cut loose but then again if it wasn't for the commander he'd be at the bar with her. He was happy, truely and everyone saw it. Ever since they began their relationship he'd had even come our of the main battery cannon to eat lunch. Miranda wished she could be like that...happy, in love...she sighed thinking about what she was missing.

"Nope." Miranda casually sipped her beer as the obnoxious music blasted over them, Shepard had to shout for her to hear and they were right next to eachother.

"Comon." Shepard grabbed her hand as Miranda tried to stay in place however for all her genetic strength Shepards muscle mass was a bit much, she wasn't bulky but the commander was a physical threat, I'm gonna have to up my game, Miranda thought.

"Molly..." Miranda took a tone of warning and almost immediately regretted it as Garrus burst out laughing Shepard placed her hands on her hips.

"Excuse me?" She said.

"I didn't..."

"Now you have to." She recalled Garrus saying as he pushed her on the dance floor, he was much younger then (Obviously) and while she only had minor signs of aging, slight wrinkles in her hands as they were a little more boney than they had been five years ago however the fifty year old Vakarian was definatly showing his age in terms of looks. Although Miranda thought the wrinkled turian looked distinguished.

"We're here." The driver said, shaking Miranda out of their day dream. She turned to Garrus who was lightly snoring, she almost felt bad that she had to wake him up, he looked peacefull when he slept unlike the alcohol riddled vigilante she had found on Terra Nova.

"Garrus...Garrus." She gently brushed her hand over his, then gave it a light squeeze causing him to stir.

"You know how I feel about that name."

"Archangel?"

"Garrus is fine."

She smirked as he stepped outside the car and infront of the hotel they were staying at. After Miranda payed for the cab she stood next to him as he looked around the hotel courtyard. there were people walking about the premises a few had pets as some jogged across the grass going around the length of the hotel.

"Five." He said.

"Six." Miranda corrected.

"The woman on the bench?" He turned to her.

"No." The espionage expert corrected, she leaned her side against him speaking in an low tone as she pointed low with her hand just above her waist. Looking down Garrus saw her hand and followed where it was pointed, an older human man sat at a lone table near the edge of the courtyard sipping from a small glass as he read through his omni-tool.

"Maybe." Garrus said as he walked ahead with Miranda, both staring at the man until they reached the door.

The place was low profile (For someone who made trillions a day selling secrets) which made sense considering the attack on their home. Garrus likes the hotel itself lots of green, he didn't know anything about it but there were small shrubs on the inside but after closer inspection Garrus realized they were fake as he and Miranda passed the front desk he caught sight of a familiar blue tone of skin. Liara was sitting in the hotel's cafe across from the front desk, with a physical data pad infront of her.

The two approached her table, Liara not noticing them until they pulled out two of the four chairs at the square table.

"Hey." Her smile faded until she caught sight of Mirandas scar under her right jaw.

"Are you alright? you should still be in the hospital - and you," She pointed at Garrus.

" _You_ had one job."

"I'm fine Liara, thank you, and thank you again for making sure I got to the hospital." Miranda crossed her legs clasping her hands around the high knee.

Liara rolled her eyes. "It's the least I could do, don't mention it."

"It was Kaiden." Garrus blurted causing Miranda to shoot him a look.

"I know," Liara replied. "I scrubbed the messege on Mirandas omni - tool and...well that voice was unmistakable." Liara looked down for a moment as she recalled her time in the jungle it was hot, humid, and the worst part was they were cut off from everthing.

"We buried him." Liara recalled, looking to Garrus.

"Yeah...we did. Although we can be sure he's working alone."

Miranda kept quiet, she was still trying to piece together anything she remembered from her time with cerberus, specifically the Lazarus project and the SR2 missions. Honestly she couldn't think of anyone they left alive.

"For now," Garrus began. "The _how_ doesn't matter, what matters is he's after you too."

"I've sent my family away, I'm not going to say where or why incase we're being watched."

Miranda nodded in agreement as Garrus let out a sigh. He felt awful for bringing this on Raenia and Molly, they were just kids.

"He's going after Tali next, we should get mov-"

"Why?" Liara asked.

"He told me - before I went out he said-"

"Tali is guarded day and night as Quarian ambassador, I've even changed up the guard just to be sure. Jack is the one you should be worried about, she's in an active combat zone."

Garrus raised an eyebrow, she had point an ambassador would have all kinds of security. Not to mention guards at every one of her doors.

"Not to mention he told you he was going after me." Miranda added. "Maybe seeing Jack is a good idea." She gave him a slight nod with barely visible smirk.

Nodding Garrus agreed as he gave thought to the idea, never trust a criminal they usually lie especially when they commit crimes. Although Garrus did have a guy turn himself in after he hit a varren on the citidel, they wound up arresting the turian who owned the varren because he didn't have a permit for an exotic animal.

"Alright." He agreed. "Where is she anyway?"

Liara had to look it up again, gently swiping the holo screen on her omni - tool Liara pulled up Jacks file.

"She's an Alliance major now, she heads the specail biotics division. She's working with the turian military on a anti-piracy task force base on Noveria. Working with the famous Nolum wing."

Garrus mandible gently fluttered at the mention of Nolum wing, he had heard of their exploits during the Reaper war.

"Spirits, they were at the miracle on Palaven... and took part in the battle above and on Earth. With only three casualties." He said.

"Impressive." Miranda said in a low tone to herself as she placed both feet on the ground ready to go she stood up and was soon followed by Garrus.

"Their squadron leader is a real hardass though." Garrus added.

"Coming from you that means something." Liara smirked.

"His call sign is _Grim_ for a reason, I heard about them a little after the war. Apparently their old wing captain died back on Earth, I think ol'Grim is the oldest turian military pilot alive."

"Old, turian, angry...you two will get along just fine." Miranda gave Garrus a pat on the back.

"Thank you Liara, for everything-"

"Don't thank me yet." Liara half-warned as she set a black key-card on the table.

"This is a key to private dock 10-G, there you'll find a ship with everything you'll need to take down Kaiden and whoever he's working with."

The two said goodbye as Miranda began to walk out with Garrus picking up the card a blue hand stopped him from leaving.

"I don't want to hear about an ex alliance officer ending up in prison." Garrus looked into Liaras suddenly cold eyes, knowing exactly what she meant Garrus nodded his head.

"You have my word." He replied, Garrus figured he might have to capture and interrogate him but after that...it was Kaiden after all. He had Garrus' back more times than the turian would care to count and Garrus had Kaidens. In that case, he thought, a quick death would be best for all.

"Good." She said, "Just one more thing."

Garrus sighed as he thought of how many more 'one more things' there seemed to be. But he listened of course, it could actually be important.

"There's a surprise on board for you and Miranda...that's all."

Cocking his head to the side Garrus simply nodded before leaving the table and meeting Miranda outside. She was almost staring down the man at table across the courtyard as he read his omni-tool.

"Apparently there's a surprise on the ship for us." He said meeting her.

"Interesting." She replied as they walked around the courtyard.

"I've already called us a taxi, we can be off in a couple of hours."

"Good." Garrus shook his head, "Let's get this over with."

"Garrus?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think the surprise is?"

"Pff, who knows? Probably old Normandy memorabilia - maybe it's the ol'girl herself we'll see soon enough." He saw the taxi gently float down to them as he let Miranda take the first door and he walked around the car.

"I guess you're right, I just hope it's not what I think it is..."

*Ahem "Attention all crew this is your pilot speaking, it's about that time once again..."

The pilots voice was followed by groan coming from behind him as a guitar rift played over the speakers, the song continued as the pilot spoke. For only other crew mate this practice of wensday afternoon sing-a-long was starting to get really annoying especially on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday through Sunday.

"Feel free to sing along, probably know the words by now."

 _-But don't worry baby, don't worry cause I'm right here, right here, right here - right here at home._

"Here it comes!" The pilot called out as he sang along.

"Ugh...primitives."

 _Cause Ima pricker,_ _Ima grinner,_ _ima lover,_ _and ima sinner,_ _playin my music in the sun,_

 _Ima **joker**_ _ima smoker,_ _ima mid-night toker,_ _gettin my lovin on the run-_ The song was cut off as the ancient being appeared before Joker weapon-in-hand Javik pressed his forefinger to his lips and pointed to the bay door light on the consul in front of Joker showing a blinking light which meant someone had accessed the ship.

"Shit."

Joker cursed in a low voice as Javik crept down the short hallway through the ship with his weapon trained on the only entrance and exit on the ship, pressing his left hand on the floor he could feel the essence of the hull on the tips of his fingers. The protheans focused primarily on direct messeges to the brain via touch and this worked well with almost everything, Javik could feel who was in the ship and while many if not all species would find this ability a sensory overload much like when Shepard touched the beacon on Eden Prime. The information a prothean recives through touch is near crystal clear or that is what Javik has lead everyone to believe as he is the best source of prothean information and refuses to give out too much before his untimely or natural death, less an enemy finds out his biological weak points. And as promised to Liara she is to have the only location to said information which he has recorded and placed in a strong box at an undisclosed location.

"Who is it?" Joker asked.

"A turian...and an altered human female...Miranda." He remembered her from exploring the ship and when he bumped into her at Shepards little suare years ago and never forgot the unnatural feeling he got from her.

"Our Miranda?" Joker asked as he slowly crept up on Javik.

"You know another?"

Rolling his Eyes Joker then realized who the turian could be.

"Wait...then that means-" He was cut off as the door to the bridge opened revealing Miranda who walked in first to which Javik set his weapon on the magnetic holster on his thigh folding into place as he stood up. with joker beside him standing oddly tall, as he folded his arms a smile curled on his lips. Miranda was still beautiful as ever although she had a burn scar under her right jaw that trailed down her neck, and the smile faded as a near nightmarish turian with three red lines down his face walked in behind her, his scar made him though as both Joker and Javik had tensed when they saw him.

"Jeez Garrus for a second I thought you were going ask us 'where's the girl'." Calling attention to the turians darker more vigilante style face paint.

The turian parted his mouth as his eyes narrowed at the pilot Garrus smirked, Joker was standing tall, which caught him off guard considering he must be in his early fifties at least meaning Vrolik syndrome would have taken over his body by now. His beard was more salt than pepper, and he had wrinkles around his eyes, his voice was even a bit deeper.

"Joker?" Miranda said taking a few steps towards him as she gave him a curious look.

"You look great."

"Aw...shucks." He smiled as he opened his arms to embrace her, something he never thought he would do but it felt good. Like seeing an old friend who was never really your friend as he motioned for Garrus to join them the turian simply shook his head.

"How are you standing?" Mirada asked as they parted.

"This guy actually...turns out Protheans wanted their slave army to run without disease so..."

Javik shrugged. "It seemed prudent to eradicate any and all diseases that would plague our forces...and you'd get your freedom if we won."

Joker muttered something as he shifted his stance. Garrus looked around the ship a bit as they continued their conversation. It was a turian ship (The best aside from any Normandy - class frigate) which meant it was built for combat in mind, especially if it was made during or after the Reaper war. Obviously it couldn't compare with the Normandy but it would out perform most ships they came across, figuring the _Shadow Broker_ had hidden a few tricks up its sleave. Garrus hoped Liara wouldn't simply hand them a "fixer upper". Miranda and Garrus entered through the loading bay and walked up the steps to the dinning area where they now stood and along the corridor to the cockpit was the crew quarters with eight rooms (Four on each side) down below the top deck was the second floor where their was a fully stocked med bay and two extra rooms, one for a doctor...if they ever had one and the other was for the engineer who was still in the engine room at the time.

"Garrus..."

 _"How do you know when a turian runs out of ammo?"_

 _"Easy, he switches to the stick up his ass."_

"Garrus?"

"What?" The turian snapped out of it realizing the memories that were resurfacing.

"You wanna pick your room?" Joker asked.

"The one closest to the flight deck on the left is mine, and Javik...kinda sleeps wherever."

The pilot gave his friend an odd look as Javik returned the glance.

"A real soldier can make his bed wherever he pleases." He proclaimed reciving a confirming nod of the head from Garrus as the four walked up towards the cockpit.

"Now, I assume we've got a real world saving mission, fate of the galaxy, lots of explosions, a few intense negotiations coupled with the fate of some school children looking for their lost puppy?" He turned around stopping the two behind him as Javik simply passing him to the hallway, Miranda shook her head.

"Actually this time we're saving ourselves." She said.

"From Kaiden." Garrus added.

Jokers eyes widened as Garrus shook his head, the turian pressed on like Javik. Garrus of course feeling that time was of the essence wanted to get a move on even if he enjoyed the little reunion.

"We can talk on the way to Noveria." He said.

"Noveria huh?"Joker followed Garrus to the flight deck.

It was an open space Javik sat at the Navagators seat which was on the right as you walked into the semi-hexigonal room. The pilot seat was down three steps and in the middle as a railing separated the pilot from the other officers of the ship. And since it was a turian vessel it was designed with war in mind, to Javiks left was the ships diagnostics when Miranda took her seat as Garrus stood in the center of the room looking out the window infront of Joker. He folded his arms watching the three prepare themselves he felt odd not doing someing, that's when the railing extended from the left allowing him something to lean on. Garrus looked from Javik to Miranda and finally Joker as his chair gently whirled around to face him, the controls still facing the pilot via holo screen sprawled out in front of him. They felt the ship lurch forward as it detached from the docking clamps he swiped his hand across the screen only to run his hands along a few more switches.

"Don't worry, the inertia dampening systems will be on in a few seconds." He assured as his chair returned to its forward position.

He was right, soon Garrus felt himself being able to stand in one place as the ship was quickly brought thought the Thessian sky and into the atmosphere and soon the stars.

"Javik, plot a course for Noveria." Joker called out as they made way for the Mass relay that could be seen from more than an AU away.

"Already done."

"What's on Noveria anyway? Now that we've got the merry band back together..." Joker prodded as they rapidly approached the relay Miranda answered.

"The short version, we're being hunted down because we worked for Cerberus...looks like you're in the clear Javik."

"Damn traitors...in my cycle-"

"Javik..." Joker half-feigning his chastisement although he was being serious.

"We talked about that."

"Fine, as long you stick to your end."

Garrus' mouth hung open for a moment as he wanted to know what "Jokers end" was only he didn't care enough to voice his question and apparently neither did Miranda as she also kept quiet.

"And which one of our old friends needs saving...from Kaiden..."

"We can explain more on the way but to answer the question: Jack."

"Awww, I like being able to walk." Joker chuckled to himself thinking of Jack first days on the old Normandy how she would threaten you as soon as look at you not to mention her near Knock-down-drag-out fight with Miranda however Shepard made sure that the two made peace a long time ago.

Garrus watched as the relay lit up and Joker flew right along side it, he and Miranda had taken a passenger flight to Thessia and the old turian had to admit he prefered a military vessel, it felt more personal that way. Almost like home for the years he spent on the Normandy, the turians actually adopted the human CIC top deck format with the captains seat closer to the subordinates (Not that the others were below Garrus only that he is standing where the captain would) believing it t be more efficient in combat years ago even before the war although it was in less vessels than it was now.

 _I looked across the room once more, still couldn't believe it completely. Joker was walking...Javik is still alive and Miranda was almost my aquaintence and we were off on another adventure. As much as I want to say it's not the same without **her**...it almost feels that way, we have our mission, our heading and our objective is clear; save Jack. __Easier than fighting a giant sentient starship, But we'll see... oh, we'll see..._


	3. Page 3, Chapter 1

Noveria, due to its position in its solar system, rarely gets enough warmth from the sun (Some would argue that it recives none at all) covering almost the entire planet in ice. While one would find this climate unhabitable some found it useful, for buisness no less, a planet that was only useful when modern society needed a middle man. It's run by a board of directors that controls the goings on in the small cities that house its workers as well as the many reaserch stations across the planet. One would think that after the war there would be galactic peace as all stood against the reapers and those who didn't were either non-combatants or killed as traitors like Cerberus. That being said Noveria was barely touched by the war since the Reapers only attacked planets with high populations. And while it had its own horror stories for sure as well as its battles they're nothing compared to what happend to the rest of the galaxy. And with that truth many hate the corporations beliving that they hoard reasorses and keep neighboring planetary settlements in other systems in poverty.

The sad reality is that Noverias corperations are currently working as a midde ground for transporting colonial supplies of any kind, medical, food, building materials, biotic amps, anything settlers and cities would need to rebuild, basically gets funneled and organized through Noveria and the various companies that run it, and some of it is even for free. What's sad is that there are some who have begun raiding Noveria for their goods until the Alliance and Turian governments stepped in, the battles that take place in the skys of the ice planet have now been nicknamed "Noverias sun" Major Jennifer Monroe, (also known as "Jack") Leader of the Alliances biotic division and founder of the "ABCs" (Alliance Biotic Commandos) the actual and full name is the Alliance Biotic Commando _Division_ , as it is a division of the Alliances Specail combat unit letter designation 'X'. But _ABCs_ just stuck, even for soldiers who aren't apart of the division but are 'X' designated are often referred to (Usually by aliens and civilians) as an ABC.

Jack has as been in charge of any and all ground engagements, there have so far only been two, as a small cruiser broke through the line and a raiding party nearly got off the dock, before they were all flayed alive through telepathy. Quite a mess.

The _MSV_ _Southwark_ appeared out of the relay, Joker ran his fingertips over the ships comm chanels as he watched a squadron of turian fighters fly over next to the ship.

"State your buisness." He heard the voice from the console.

"Private matters concerning Alliance Major Monroe." He replied.

"Do you have authorization?"

"This is former flight Lt. Jeff Muroe, Vocation code D5-564 Helmsman. Oh and the major and I used to serve together...on the _Normandy._ " The chanel fell silent for a few moments while the turians were probably running a biometric scan of the ship, they're probably going to scratch their heads at Miranda but she'll come up as human and they'll certainly question Javik. As Joker turned to see the Prothean who was doing...something as always, he is never idle nor does he ever seem to sleep. He always keeps to himself though, it's just his way Joker considered him a bit more mellow as of late even if he's always been a bit edgy.

"You're cleared."

One would think that getting through a military checkpoint would be difficult and they'd of course be right. Unless you had _"Normandy Crew"_ on your resumé then you could tell the admiralty board to suck a fat one on TV and you'd still be welcomed back to the next medal cerimony. Not to mention that the Normandy only ever had one pilot, Joker even had a cameo in the Vid they made ten years after, and since he had his surgery three years after the fact he was able to play a more robust role. He got the pleasure of playing " _bar cameo #1_ " and Wrex was "bar cameo _#2_ " (A litteral world leader) except Wrex drank actual alcohol and kept fudging up his line.

" _Shepa_!"

" _Cut...i-is he drunk? Whatever, roll again!"_

 _"Comon Wrex pull it together."_ Jeff told him.

" _Ok, ok...do you think fake Shepard is attractive? You're th-the-hicup- hooman here- I-I personally think her nose is...wwway off."_

 _"Cut!"_

 _"Wait...were we rolling then?"_

They held off the scene for the next day and only gave Wrex colored water. Imagine telling the ruler of a planet - the planet with the most physically superior race in the galaxy, that's environmently and genetically bred to kill- that he's not allowed to drink on set. Wrex agreed of course and got the line perfectly.

Now having the 'go ahead' Joker brought the ship towards the planet. He was preparing for landing when he heard footsteps shuffling behind him. Whirling his seat around he saw Miranda rubbing her eyes as she sat in the chair adjacent from Javik, which is Jokers left when he was facing the flight console.

"Afternoon." Joker said reaching for the coffee in his cup holder. A necessary upgrade, he assured Liara it was for optimum flight performance (And he'd waited nearly twenty years to get it damnit.)

"Really? I was only asleep for...five hours." Miranda yawned as she put her hair up tieing it into a pony tail with loose strands of hair falling behind her face Miranda began to rectify that as she spent a good ten minutes fussing.

"He is referring to the time on Noveria." Javik explained as Joker nodded he repressed the erge to reply " _duh"._

"We have turian food, right?" She asked, now waking up, she had her own coffee mug in front of her as she quietly sipped her drink Joker noticed the scar on her neck once again. He felt bad for her although if there's one thing that would infuriate Miranda it would be pity. So he looked her in the eye and occasionally drifted down, just like old times.

"Not a lot but that's a good reminder to get some more once we're on Noveria...speaking of, excited to see your ol'b-f-f?"

"I have you know that me and Jack set our differences aside many years ago, thank you." She reminded herself to pick up some clothes too, all she had was a few shirts and a second pair of jeans along with her armor.

"Sure...that's why every Sunday you two gal-pals get together for brunch."

He could feel Miranda boring her eyes through his chair afrer he spun it back around as she gave him a frustrated squint. Recalling when she and Jack last saw eachother they had...more or less made up. _I don't have a 'bubble butt'_ Miranda thought to herself thinking of their passive agressive argument...it's just well taken care of. They didn't speak to each other at Shepards funeral, no one did. Suddenly Miranda felt slight turbulence hit the ship as they flew through Noverias mountains to Jacks Station, she was at one of the small indoor towns they had set up. It came equipped with a hanger for the turian fighter wings as well as a fully equipped Mako.

"Sorry for a turbulence, small ship. The Normandy would be a smooth sail but it's was ten times the size, hell the old Normandy could fly through a tornado and you wouldn't even know unless you looked out a window."

He brought the ship into dock after the clamps locked onto the ship Joker released the controls and stood up.

"Alright let's go see Jack." He said stepping over to a foot locker next to his seat.

"You're coming?" Miranda asked as she picked up her Jacket off the back of her seat.

"We need fuel, turian food, levo food, maybe some weapons, couple of gadgets for the engine, I've got the list right here. And Javik doesn't like the cold-"

"Hate it." He shot them both a look, making Miranda feel a bit uneasy however Joker waved him away as though such outbusts were normal.

"And I get to see Jack so...yeah I'm coming." He placed a gun on his magnetic holster causing it to compact on his thigh, wrapping a blue jacket around his arms he tugged on the collar and pulled a bit on the front of it for comfort.

"Alright," Miranda nodded, "I'll get Garrus."

"Already here." The turian said approaching them, fully armored like they all are.

"I'll watch the ship." Javik said coldly as always, although it's not to be taken seriously that's just how he talks...to everyone.

"Good."

Joker showed the others off the ship as they all walked out and onto the old stone dock. It was about the same as Garrus remembered when they last vistited only this wasn't the same dock. It had what he expected, a monitor, extra security, which for Noveria is saying something considering when he and Shepard came to the frozen planet they almost didn't make it past the front door. An Alliance patrol halted them for a good ten minutes for a quick check up, Noveria was pretty relax on guns so they were allowed to keep their weapons. One of the guards wearing a red ABC uniform stopped them at the door, she had long black hair tied behind her head and brown eyes Garrus didn't recognize her at all yet she stared directly at him.

"Garrus Vakarian, I'll never forget that name...or face." She said looking at his I.D.

"And why is that?" Garrus replied.

"You saved me, remember? 'Rodriguez keep your feild up'!" Mimicking Her commanding officer Garrus remembered the name but not the girl as she closed up her omni-tool.

"You were one of those kids at Grissom." He said, remembering her now-at least he remembered the event, her specifically not terribly much.

A bit taller and thinner, she also had a scar on her chin most likely from the war, that sickened Garrus, child soldiers not that they had a real choice. He guessed it was alright considering it was kill or be killed back then, not to mention most of - if not all- had a score to settle with the the Reapers. She seemed no worse for the were, giving the trio a smile as she approached Garrus.

"I still owe you a drink." She said shaking his hand. A purely human thing, Turians are extremely clasist and some wouldn't even look at the lower class citizens but humans treat everyone relitively the same as everyone else when they meet them, even the world leaders. The look a human gives you when you don't shake their hand is quite funny to an alien but extremely rude to a human of course.

"I'll think about it, know where I can find your commanding officer?" He asked her, sort of ignoring the offer however he was on a mission.

"If you wait in the pavilion I can have her meet you, I'm sure the major will make time for you." She assured them as she walked off to notify Jack.

The three walked through the main doors after passing through the checkpoint. Most of the place was still similar in nature however security was even tighter than before with armed teams everywhere you looked, a little daunting but necessary when confronted with pirates. They found a spot in the pavilion just outside the shops and between the directors office, patiently the three waited around with Joker slowly pacing.

"I still can't believe you can walk." Miranda told him as Jeff smiled in response. She had a look of awe almost, a greatfull little smirk like she was witness to a miracle.

"Yeah, protheans seemed to have a little bit more figured out than us...they just missed a few things."

He ran his fingers against his well kept beard. She could see the age on him even if the grayish beard kept him looking somewhat young, but under his hat the pilot had no hair. Garrus was also a little on the wrinkled side making Miranda feel a bit like the odd-woman out considering when she looked in the mirror she barely saw the faintest inklings of wrinkles on her face and body, although now she had to look at that nasty scar uder her right jaw...across her right shoulder and down her back as well as her stomach there was a few splotches on her right leg which would heal. She had read in the doctors report that her right breast was now fake, they did a fantastic job with it since Miranda can't honestly tell the difference yet, although she still has to wear specail bandaging under her clothes but it felt real and since it was fake her chest had no scarring so there was only a mark or two on the left one. Her stomach, back and neck however would need surgery if she really wanted the scars gone. But the only thing she would have wanted them to fix was taken care of, she kept her womanly features which made her feel a bit more comfortable in her 'new skin' And the only time anything below her neck would be visible is if she wore a bathing suit. She never visited the beach anyway.

Then again at her age looks aren't supose to matter and maybe they never did. All they ever did was attract assholes anyway. 'Hey baby' this and 'Nice ass' that, and those were just the "grade A" opening lines, she valued confidence and unfortunately most decent men saw her as "not an option". Another _whatever_ , the way Miranda saw it was that settling down with a nice man who was tall...handsome but not too handsome, with a touch of gray in his well kept hair, made a good living, and loved children simply wasn't _her destiny_. She had her chance, but for some reason living a normal life was just never an option.

"Supose not." She left it at that. As she watched a few people walk by the water fountain that she and Garrus were sitting on Miranda felt something like a hum through her spine - someone was poking at her biotic amps. And when she turned around she could see a relitively clothed Jack as she hopped down a few steps. Surprisingly she embraced Miranda and nearly lost it when she saw Jeff.

"Holy shit..." Her hands cupped her mouth. "You're - you're walking!"

Jeff mocked a jig as he moved his legs about, "Modern science is a hell of a thing." He said, they embraced.

"And you." Garrus being a turian hid his emptions well, he felt a bit odd at just how happy he was to see Jack or maybe it was relief. She gave him a big, and admittedly comforting hug, wrapping her arms around his hump back and held it for a moment. "You can change your colors, but you can't hide that smirk from me scars."

"Aha, good to see you too Jack." Garrus placed one arm on her back as his attempt at return affection.

"So." She looked at each one of them, Jack had kept her figure of course. In fact her muscles looked bigger, Garrus figured that since she was so young when they met she must be at least in her late fourties. No matter, her question remained even if she did not ask it. She wanted to know what they were doing here...well. "We should sit down, do you have an office?" Miranda asked.

"Sure, this way."

"Actually I have a bit of shopping to do, you three can talk." Joker began to walk off only for Jack to call after him, her omni-tool infront of her as she swiped a few keys and no sooner was Rodriguez seen from across the pavilion walking towards them.

"The Sargent will accompany you, she can take you wherever you need to go."

* * *

"Nice office." Miranda liked that it had a bit of style to it, a few personal touches which must have meant this was a semi-perminent gig and Jack planned on being here for a while. There was a large window facing a drop off from the moutnian that the facility stood on, if anything all they could see was white and every once in a while you could glimpse at the frozen valley below. Jack sat on the window sill watching Garrus as he looked around the room, it wasn't particularly large though but enought for three people to move comfortably, the office itself was a trapazoid shape with the larger end facing the door and the smaller, broad tip of the room would be the window.

"I like your plants, do they get enough sun?"

"None actually, those are Tuchankan cave ferns. All they require is a little water a week and they can survive in both the light and dark." She smiled. Jack actually had a smile on her face and towards Miranda no less.

They both looked at Garrus who's eyes were glued to the left wall. There hung a small frame along with others containing various medals and at least two comendations from the late admiral Hackett (Natural causes). But Garrus' light blue eyes faced one object on the wall, an N7 badge the belonged to a set of armor, a horribly damaged one at that.

"I took it after they took her out of it." Jack wasn't sure what was going through his head. Was he angry that she took something from Shepard? In truth Garrus was simply indifferent, he didn't know what to make of it as all he ever had of her was memories and all those ever did was haunt him.

"Yeah, I remember you're the one that found her..."

"Was she dead?" Garrus had no idea what she looked like when they found her since the Normandy was on the edge of the galaxy when they did.

"Yeah...she was gone when we got there."

Garrus closed his eyes for a moment, light colored skin, small patch of freckles on her nose and cheeks, green eyes and wavy blonde hair. Molly Shepard.

His eyes shot open as he had allowed himself to think of her again, not the first an most likely not the last.

"Thank you." He turned around to find a seat as Miranda looked at him with a caring gaze as she had an instinct to reach out to him as she had before but she couldn't, if anything Garrus probably wouldn't let her, just like before. She wanted someone to share with, her feelings of regret and deep sorrow seem to never leave her. Some days she could take on the galaxy again but others she would rather not get out of bed. It did feel good to have a mission again, a purpose even if it involved a distant and grumpy turian. Miranda felt that Jack was softening the truth too, for their turian friends sake.

"Not that I'm not enjoying your little vist but, any particular reason you and Joker are flying together?"

Garrus remained silent as Miranda stood up and brought up her omni-tool "Someone is targeting us, specifically the crew of the Normandy that served under Cerberus."

"If that's true then they might be saving you for last. I heard about Jacob...I wish i could've made the funeral but..." Jack shurgged as she looked around the office, Miranda understood perfectly, duty first, always.

"How often are you under attack?"

"Honestly, the turians are seeing more action than we are."

"Nolum wing, we've heard."

"Yeah, they're almost too good if you ask me, only two cruisers have broken through and that's because they made a B-line for the docks."

Miranda brought up photos of Liaras house from the extranet, she got them off of an Armali news site. "Regardless we felt that you were the most vulnerable to attack considering your more focused on what's in front of you."

"Well, now I have you guys to watch my back." She bore a sarcastic smile but she meant her words, it was just how Jack is and always was. They all had their reasons for being and neither would ever question the other, for once in Jacks life things were going relitively well considering she was at war but then again, when was she ever not?

"Damn, Is Liara ok?"

"She's fine." Garrus assured.

"Her family is too." Miranda added.

"Is that what happend to you?"

Miranda looked away for a moment, her eyes meeting the floor before returning her gaze and nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, maybe when this is all over I'll see a surgeon." Garrus looked from Jack to Miranda and knew he would have to break the silence, change the subject, putting his old CSEC hat on he thought of one thing they could do.

"I'd like access to your security room-or rather the stations- the board wont be happy but you can say it's a matter of galactic security or some other BS answer, and your personel records."

"That can be arranged. Um you can interveiw my team, I have a decent sized Platoon here. Five squads, That's two ABC teams one specail forces unit, couple of N5s and 6s, an armored unit with a mako and a group of specialized combat personel, Xs, Kaidens old unit...and Shepards."

"I'm not worried about your team turning on you but Kaiden impersonated a doctor if I can learn the mannerisms of your team I'll be able to spot something suspicious."

"Why does the Alliance have two separate biotic divisions?" Miranda seemed hung up on that little fact as she held a cock-eyed expression.

"We don't, my former students are all X7s the Alliances best biotic soldiers, that being said I miss Grissom, they rebuilt it a few years ago. But then...this happened." She stood up and motioned with both hands around the office. "But no, Alliance Biotic Commando is basically just a title given to us by the asari after they fought with us in the war. But it's sort of a mix between specail ops and specailized combat."

"Thanks for the lesson." Garrus said.

"Anytime."

"What about Nolum wing?" He added.

"What about them-"

"They have as much access as your team?."

"Fair enough, I can't help you there though, not my jurisdiction." Jack bore a frazzled expression, the idea of having Garrus and Miranda poke around Nolum Wing didn't seem like a good idea however it was her life on the line and possibly others.

"It was nice seeing you again."

"Of course, next time let's make sure it's not when someone wants to kill us, there's a restaurant in the east complex it's a bit dressy. Joker's invited too - I'm sure that went without saying. Fortunately for me my dress blues get me in anywhere but..."

She looked at Garrus who in turn looked down at his combat armor, "Armor is tur-"

"I've seen you in regular clothes dumbass, the culture excuse wont work here." Jack folded her arms as the old turian stared for a moment and realized he would not be able to weasel out of this one. Miranda was halfway out the door as Garrus grudgingly agreed to show up.

"Well, that wasn't so hard."

"It was nice to see someone not as miserable as us." A side comment clearly meant to change the subject.

"So what do we do? Jack gave us the list of people under her comand, names backgrounds everything...you think-"

"Not a chance in hell the turians would do the same," He gave her a knowing look. "We should try and find any like between the biotics and Kaiden...doubtfull but maybe an officer who served when they were younger?" Garrus shrugged his shoulders. "We can't catch him playing the defense here."

"You've a better idea? Because our only lead is his _hit list_." Miranda pinched the bridge of her nose as they enter the elevator, she pressed the button for the main floor where they could aquire some attire for the evening as well as a few extra supplies they may or may not need. "Garrus?"

"Yeah?"

"I never asked, how's your sister?"

"Fine actually, has a family married a human...if dad were still alive I wonder what he'd think of that."

"What did he think about you and Shepard?"

"Oh-well I was used to disappointing him, she on the other hand was not. He did approve of Shepard though said if I had to pick a human that I picked a good one."

Miranda let out a quite 'hmpf' under her breath as the doors opened in front of them. "We should call Joker, see what he's up to. And get you a suit."

"I don't know if I'll even go-"

"You promised Jack, she doesn't care if _I_ show up but you she likes."

Garrus checked his omni-tool seeing that Jack had sent him the clearance codes for the security room where he could run through records of the new arrivals, starting with anyone arriving within the last week or so.

"I'll see what I can do-"

Miranda narrowed her eyes at him, that icy stare she would often give him reminded him of Shepard in a way. Garrus certainly could hold his own in a fight and rarely stuttered over his words when making a threat however this stare brought him back to when he was young and found himself utterly lost for words when another woman gave him a much similar stare. It was a demand of recognition, that he must acknowledge her for not only her own sake but for his.

And then Garrus remembered, he didn't really give a damn. "Look, we're here to find Kaiden-and whoever else he's working for not play high school reunion with Jack-"

Miranda let out a sigh, placing her hands on her hips as she looked down. In a way she believed him to be right, but their was still that lart of her that yearned for some small slice of time to be normal and forget why she was here in the first place.

 _In all honesty. I had fairly normal life..._

 _Hell, I even opened up a green house that turned into a flower shop..._ Was it below her pay grade? Yes, but taking care of things made her more or less happy, even if Miranda was alone and felt alone for a good five year until one day a tall, broad shouldered man walked in her shop his dark hair was unkept and a little long not to mention he hid most of it under a skullcap which made him look like a damn criminal and that facial hair had to go, not to mention all of the tattoos up and down his arms he leaned over the counter as Miranda stood in the back watching him, waiting for him to steal something as he kept looking around.

"May I help you?"

"Yeah, I saw the sign outside."

Miranda glanced over to the display window where multiple messeges ran across the glass as walked over to the sink behind the counter to wipe the dirt off her hands she turned her head back around to see him smiling politely at her.

"You make a horrible first impression."

She turned, wiping her hands off with a towel as she glared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I do have credentials. I studied botany at Ohio state and worked on a farm most of my life, then there was the war...as I'm sure you know."

She nodded her head, now eyeing a depiction of the Alliance Marine corps symbol under his elbow with a few names in cursive written alongside and around it.

"That all sounds wonderfull..."

"Thomas Brenk." He held out his hand, and after a quick debate in her head Mirand took it.

"Well _Thomas,_ as impressive as that background sounds you've yet to fill out a formal application I have two versions one online and a physical one right here." She gestured to a little file box sitting on the counter holding a few applications.

Thomas lifted a ballpoint pen from his pocket and began to write, rather quickly and neatly as well. She was almost impressed by his handwriting until he swore under his breath and had to scrible something out, she rolled her eyes and walked away. Back to her tulips, however no sooner had she reached out to them Thomas appeared in the doorway.

"Here you go."

She gently took the application from him and glossed over it, pretending to be thorough as she let out a sigh, that sigh had been there for nearly half a year, she was starting to give uo hope until this homeless fellow who apparently has a degree (She suspected he was lying) although she could check it out herself and should if prove false she could always gire him.

"You can work here. Two things, No winter hats-we live in Nevada. And a hair cut."

"Okay." He slowly pulled off his hat causing his long and thick brown hair to frill up as he revealed a pair of identical scars that looked like they were caused by a brute or something with claws, his right ear was missing the top part of it as the lower scar cut across his scull. He straightened it out and while it was clean it was simply to unkempt for Miranda to even look at.

"I-"

"Not a problem, I'll be cleaned up by tomorrow." He had weary smile,

I am a bitch, Miranda thought to herself As she awkwardly looked down, scratching the back of her nervously.

"Thank you, I'll have a schedule written up by tomorrow-" She glanced at his contact information making sure his email was written clearly, "I'll send it your way in the morning, can you start tomorrow?"

"Yes." He said, Miranda now realizing he had already said he could shook her head.

"One o'clock then, sharp. Lateness is frowned upon here." She cracked a smile as Thomas agreed with a fecicious "Yes ma'am." and walked out.

I need a life, Miranda sighed as she walked back to the front counter checking the time and looking around the shop, as well as feeling bit peckish as she ran her hand across her growling knowing that their was a diner down the street that served a fantastic apple pie. As she walked down the side walked she thought of her new employee, how she hated that her first instinct was to always judge so harshly, it helped her avoid unsavory characters on multiple occasions this much is true however, it's not particularly nice to belittle strangers, she figured paying for his lunch tomorrow would more than suffice as an apology. She was content to have these kinds of problems if only she could share her little flower shop with her sister, Miranda rarely let her mind rest on Oriana for more than a few minutes however she thought if how she'd be much kinder to Thomas and might even be into his tattoos, Miranda remembered how her sister had expressed an interest for such things.

Miranda had resolved to be a better boss, trying to think if what Shepard would do. She'd probably offer the man a drink but that seems inappropriate and flirtatious between a boss and subordinate-not subordinate...employee...there is a difference, he could leave at any time without notice if he so desired. When Miranda sat down at the diner she looked outside as Skycar flew above In the big city of Las Vegas that lay in the distance an odd relocation yes however the smaller town outside the city was very quaint and there would always be something going on.

"May I take your order-"

Miranda turned to see a tall broad shouldered man with tattoos up and down his arms, most notably an Alliance marine corps tattoo under his elbow.

"Hi boss."

* * *

"You're right Garrus." She shook her head for a moment clearing her mind.

"I just...you're right I'll check in with Joker see where we stand on supplies, I have a few extra creds that can help us out."

Garrus nodded, he coukd see a twinkle in Mirandas eye that seemed to fizz out when she looked away and then back at Garrus who nodded his head.

"Sounds good. I'll let you know when I find something."

Miranda didn't watch as Garrus walked away, although she did and stille does worry for his mental health. It was a pain she knew all to well and hated her ability to related to Garrus. as she headed towards the supply depot Miranda caught sight of a diner, they had a specail on apple pie.


End file.
